The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on media practitioners to champion inclusive development and social protection in nation-building.
According to UNICEF, one in four Ghanaians is still poor despite the country’s achievement in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1 target of halving poverty since 2000.
It further indicated that the rate of poverty reduction has reduced by half since 1990s and that the gap between rich and poor has increased significantly, with rich people experiencing 40 percent growth higher than the poor.
“Children are much more likely to be poor than adults and they are also more vulnerable to poverty, as it can curtail their potential in life, reducing their performance in school and later in the workplace,” the United Nations Children’s Agency stated.
Dr. Esther Ofei-Aboagye, Deputy Chair of the National Development Planning Committee, said inclusive development is key to getting the masses, especially the less privileged on board in decision-making, irrespective of their status in the society towards the long-term development plan.
Speaking to media practitioners on Ghana’s Development gap at a media engagement organized by UNICEF, Dr. Ofei-Aboagye, disclosed that at a national forum on inclusive development organized in May 2016, consensus was reached to solve the problem of inequality in the country’s development.
The forum concluded that in order to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in the country, extending credit and banking, improving the agricultural sector, effecting the payment of tax, creating jobs and boosting productive inclusion must be carried out.
She, however, noted that little effort has been made in the implementation of the actions.
 UNICEF advocates for the commitment of Government to maintain zero subsidies on fuel, as a means to reduce inequality in the country.
By Malgu Seebaway